Southwest Michigan’s booming wedding industry is about to significantly change—a major player is about to re-enter the competitive wedding venue arena.
Downtown St. Joseph’s Whitcomb Senior Living Tower will reverse course and create a new division to operate and market its former ‘Whitcomb Veranda’ as a wedding and event space dubbed “Aria at the Whitcomb.” The venue had exited the wedding and event business just over a year ago when the facility was sold to new owners who focused on the Senior Living aspect.
Husband-wife co-owners Prabhjoi (Jay) Singh and Navneet Kaur told MoodyOnTheMarket.com that they were never opposed to using the outdoor space for events, however are committed to putting the Whitcomb’s primary mission—patient and resident care—front and center as their first priority. Now, a year after buying the Whitcomb, they are ready to re-establish and grow ‘Aria at the Whitcomb’ into a market leader in the wedding and event space in Michigan’s Great Southwest-
A key element of the plan is a strong partnership with Classic Catering and Events of Bridgman, a full service catering and rental company with a long track record in the SW Michgan bridal industry. Classic will be the exclusive caterer at ‘Aria at The Whitcomb’, offering everything from snacks, appetizers and cocktails to full, sit-down dinners on-site.
Aria at the Whitcomb will consist of four distinct event spaces: the familiar veranda, the expansive, flat Rooftop overhead, the adjacent Aria Garden, and the Whitcomb’s signature Cupola, about ten stories above downtown St. Joseph with its ‘one of a kind’ view . Marketing Director Laura Martin expects most weddings or events will make use of the veranda and the garden. Larger gatherings, up to 250 persons, may utilize the Rooftop. Those looking for a unique experience or vantage point for photos may add the Cupola to their plans.
The new owners say they don’t know why past ownership marked the Cupola ‘off liniits.’ Jay Singh says with proper supervision and insurance coverage in place, they will be able to offer an unparalleled view of the City, Silver Beach and Lake Michigan from the Cupola. And they’ll do so with proper pre-planning on a regular basis as an option to weddings and events.
They also expect to see more frequent use of the Aria Rooftop, which offers the largest single area in multiple space venue. Up to 250 sit-down guests can be accommodated on the Rooftop for a ceremony, reception or dinner. Few venues in the region can match that capacity. While there is no outside elevator, the Rooftop has its own stairway access that does not require entering the Whitcomb Residence facility.
In fact, Aria events will not utilize the Whitcomb interior, respecting the residents’ privacy. Portable trailer ‘executive restroom’ facilities, similar to those used in hospitality areas at the Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores will be used for Aria events.
Aria at the Whitcomb will feature full beverage services under the concept of the Marine Bar—not actually a place anymore, but a historical play on a legendary hotel bar that was located on the lower level of the Whitcomb during its earlier life as a hotel. Event planners will be able to offer drinks of any variety in any of the Aria’s venues.
Singh and Kaur say that they have focused their planning for Aria on the Whitcomb’s unique location and the ‘vibe’ it lends to a wedding or special event—not on the almost instant competitive advantage they will enjoy because of that location and the Whitcomb’s ambiance. In their year as Whitcomb owners, they say they’ve come to better understand the building’s unique position as a book-end of downtown St. Joseph and a picture-postcard symbol of where the St. Joseph River and Lake Michigan come together.
Singh and Kaur, who are residents of Kalamazoo, own three other retirement residences in North Carolina, with 50, 60, and 80 beds. The Whitcomb has a capacity of 129 residents. There are currently 70 in Independent Living and 30 in Assisted Living. Kaur explained that it’s possible for a resident to spend many years at the Whitcomb, first in Independent Living and then transition to Assisted Living when necessary. Transfer to another facility is only necessary if Skilled Nursing Care is required.
As they considered getting back into the Event business, the owners asked the residents of the Whitcomb for guidance. About 80 % were strongly supportive of inviting the weddings, class reunions and other festive gatherings back to their home. Kaur explained that many residents look forward to witnessing the festivities from a distance. She said it often helps them “relive a pleasant experience” in their own lives, and in that way can be very positive for the residents.
Singh told us the year-long break in outside event activities at the Whitcomb has helped them as they performed much needed major maintenance on the building’s exterior. The Whitcomb has a new roof and tuckpointing of the brickwork and recaulking of windows and joints is underway. He put the cost at well over a million dollars and said various internal systems and equipment are next on their potential upgrade list to keep the 95 year old building in smooth operation.
Marketing Director Martin says there are only a few events on the Aria at the Whitcomb calendar for 2023. 2024 is beginning to fill in with weddings, as a few in the weddiing industry have been aware of the change in plans. She invites couples who are planning their weddings to contact her at events@ariawhitcomb.com
Martin is planning an Open House, in cooperation with Classic Catering & Events at the Whitcomb on Saturday, April 22, 1-4 pm. She requests that those planning to attend RSVP above or at 269-999-0178.
Photos Courtesy of Aria at The Whitcomb
By Gayle Olson, MOTM Contributor
